Tony Nominee Carmen Cusack Joins Cast of Tom Hanks' Mister Rogers Film

Carmen Cusack has been cast in the Mister Rogers film, starring Tom Hanks, according to Deadline. Cusack will play the longtime Mister Rogers' Neighborhood producer, Margy.

The film has also cast Enrico Colantoni, Maryann Plunkett, Tammy Blanchard, Wendy Makkena, Sakina Jaffrey, Noah Harpster, and Maddie Corman. These actors join the previously announced cast of Matthew Rhys, Susan Kelechi, Chris Cooper, and Hanks.

The film is being directed by Marielle Heller from a screenplay by Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster's screenplay. The film is inspired by the article Can You Say. . . Hero? by Tom Junod and is based on the real-life friendship between Fred Rogers (Hanks) and Junod (Rhys). In the heart-warming story, a cynical journalist begrudgingly accepts an assignment to write a profile piece on the beloved icon and finds his perspective on life transformed.

Colantoni will play Bill Isler, longtime president & CEO of The Fred Rogers Company. Plunkett is Joanne Rogers, Fred's wife. Blanchard portrays Lorraine, Lloyd's sister. Noah Harpster is Lloyd's brother-in-law, Todd. Makkena plays Dorothy, Lloyd's father's girlfriend. Jaffrey's character is Ellen, Lloyd's editor. Corman is Lady Aberlin, a character on the show.

An actress and singer whose career spans the world, Carmen Cusack made her Tony-nominated Broadway debut as Alice Murphy in Steve Martin and Edie Brickell's BRIGHT STAR. In addition, she has graced the stage in some of theatre's most renowned roles, including PHANTOM OF THE OPERA's Christine, LES MISERABLES' Fantine, WICKED's Elphaba, SOUTH PACIFIC's Nellie Forbush, and SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE's Dot/Marie. In January 2017, Carmen starred in the world premiere of Karen Siff Exhorn's DO THIS, a one-woman play at Gulfshore Playhouse. Possessing a versatile vocal range, she has also been featured in numerous concerts, recordings and cabarets. Her "Live at 54 Below" album entitled "If You Knew My Story" is now available, and she returned to the cabaret stage at Feinstein's/54 Below for a series of four shows in March 2017 and one on Easter Sunday 2017.

The film will be released in theaters on October 18, 2019.

Read the original article on Deadline.